Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-01-14
Romantic Marriage of Secretary Lama

Secretary of the Interior Lamar, was
married at Macon, Ca, on Wednesday of
last week TO Mrs. W. s. Holt, formerly
Miss Henrietta Dean. Much opposition
shown by the two married daughters of
the bride was at last overcome and the
ceremony took place at her residence. The
distinguished groom is sixty-one years of
age and the bride fifty -eight. The match
made so late in life was the resurrection
of an old love which burned when the
groom was nineteen and the bride sixteen
A telegram from Macon of January 5th,
to the n. Y. Sun" gives the following
account OF this romantic union:
The wedding had been looked for and
various hours had been fixed, but it is now
known that the parties did not really
agree upon the date until yesterday, when
the minister was telegraphed for and the
license procured. Ten O'Clock was named
and the wedding party restricted to the
immediate relatives. This morning the first
80 arrive at the Holt mansion was Mr.
and Mrs. Virgin, the latter the daughter
of Mrs. Holt. Then came Secretary La
mar and W. H. Ross, with whom be has
been stopping while here. Then came
Col. j. E. Jones and wife, the latter sis
ter OF Mrs. Holt, and these were followed
by DR.. R. M. Patterson and wife, the lat
ter also a relative.
At the appointed hour the minister took
his position in the recess of bay window
in the parlor in which had assembled the
family. Mrs. Holt, dressed in steel gray
E. Park, her son-in-law, left the sitting
room followed by Secretary Lamar and
| Col. Ross. Reaching the hallway the
quartet separated, the Secretary joining
Mrs. Holt, and the two walking with
right hands joined to a position in front
of the clergyman. The ceremony lasted
only two minutes, after which the MIN
lister and the BRIDES two daughters ten
| dered congratulations. The wedding par
| ty then went to the breakfast room. The
bride presided over the table with ease
and grace. Champagne, fruit, and cake
formed the principal part of the breakfast.
Friends dropped in during the morning to
tender organizations, and many tele.
dinner, which was given at 2 P. M, only
the family and a few friends were present.
Secretary Lamar and his bride left Ma
con at 500 this afternoon for Atlanta,
where they will spend the night at the
Governors mansion with Gov J. B. Cor
don and family. They will leave Atlanta
tomorrow morning for Oxford, Miss, to
visit Mrs. J. B. Ross, sister, and Mrs.
A. W. Mays, daughter of the Secretary.
They will spend a few days in Oxford an d
then start for Washington.
Some very romanGi stories have been
put into circulation with respect to the
relations which existed between the BRIDE
groom, who is now 81, and his bride, who
Is IS. When they were quite young, ~
years ago, l.. @. q. Lamar of Putnam
county, Ca, then 10 years of age, was a
law student in the Office of Absalom H
Chappell of this place, who was at that
time one of the leading lawyer of the
South. He became acquainted, a short
time after she came mere. with Miss Hen
rletta Dean, a beautiful and accomplished
young lady of 1S. 1t has baen a matter of
common report that the bride and groom
OF to-day came very near assuming that
relation to each other soon after they met
and it is generally believed here to-day
that the marriage is the result of the at
tachment which began long years ago.
The story goes that they were engaged,
had the inevitable lovers quarrel, and
parted in anger. At this juncture, it is
said, another sutton for the ladys hand
appeared in the person of VIM. S. Holt,
also OF this place, and that he obtained
her consent to become his wife before Mr..
Lamar was able TO make up the quarrel,
and that, overwhelmed with grief, morti-
hcation, and disappointment. he saw his
lady love made the wife of another, from
seat on the bough Of tree near by. 1t is
said that Secretary Lamar, in years gone
by, has told this story himself; but be that
as it may. he now denies it in most eg1/
phaGic language. The truth is that
were engaged for short time, th<
engagement was broken some tj1